The role of the Minister is to advocate for disability issues and to establish and report on the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

The Minister's specific duties are set out in the legislation (New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000, Part 2: Responsibilities of Minister, Section 8: Health and Disability Strategies). This focuses on the preparation of a strategy for disability support services - the New Zealand Disability Strategy. This provides the framework for the Government's overall direction for the disability sector and for improving disability support services. The legislation empowers the Minister to amend or replace that strategy at anytime. It also requires the Minister to:

consult any organisations and individuals that the Minister considers appropriate, before determining the New Zealand Disability Strategy

report each year on progress in implementing the strategy, and

make publicly available, and present to the House of Representatives, a copy of the strategy, or any amendment of it or replacement to it, and to report as soon as practicable after its determination or completion.